Spring cushion



July 26, 1938. D. H. VAN HovE SPRING cUs'HIoN Filed June 1, 1957 INVENTOR DESIRE H, VAN HOVE ATTORNEYS Patented July 26, 1938 NTED STATES PAT 7 Claims.

This invention relates generally to cushions .and refers more particularly to seat cushions of the type wherein resiliency is secured by a series of coil springs. I

It is one of the principal objects of this invention to reduce the cost of manufacture, render more efficient, and improve generally cushions of the above type by securing the several springs of the cushion in assembled relationship with rela` tively simple means insulating the springs from metallic contact to eliminate objectionable noises and maintaining the top surface of the seat substantially hat over a long period of use. In accordanoe with this invention, the upper extremities of the springs are covered with a fabric sheet composed of a plurality of separate strips having the adjacent edges secured together with the edge portion of one strip folded over the bottom surface of the strip and secured to the latter intermediate the springs to provide individual pockets of sufficient dimension to freely receive the upper coil of each spring. Hence, the springs are insulated from metallic contact with each other and, in the present instance, the upper coils are held in the pockets by tying the coils to the covering sheet through the adjacent edges of the strips cooperating to form this sheet.

In addition to the foregoing, the present invention contemplates a spring cushion composed of a relatively 'few simple parts capable of being expediently assembled and providing an inexpensive durable construction.

The foregoing, as well as other objects, will be made more apparent as this description pro- Coeds, especially when considered in connection with the accompanying drawing, wherein:-

Figure 1 is a plan View of a spring cushion constructed in accordance with this invention and having certain parts broken away for the sake of clearnesS; Figure 2 is .a fragmentary perspective view of the construction shown in Figure 1;

Figures 3, 4, and 5 are, respectively, sectional views taken substantially on the planes indicated by the lines. 3--3, fil-4, and 5 5 of Figure 1.

The present invention is particularly concerned with the manner in which the upper ends of the coil springs are secured in assembled relationship and the remaining structure of the seat cushion may vary in design in accordance with the specific specifications required. However, for the purpose of illustration, the seat cushion is shown in the several figures as having top and bottom marginal frames le and l, respectively, suitably reinforced to impart the required rigidity to the unit. In accordance with conventional practice, the top marginal frame l0 is suspended from the bottom frame ll by means of a plurality of coil springs l2 grouped into longitudinal and transverse rows in the manner illus- 5 trated in Figure 1. The bottom marginal frame is equipped with a plurality of transversely extending bars i3 and the lower convolutions I4 of each coil spring are suitably rigidly secured to the bars i3 between the latter. As stated, the construction brieily outlined above may be varied without interfering with the present invention and this construction should vnot be construed as limiting this invention.

In accordance with this invention, the upper ends of the coil springs l2 are covered'with a fabric sheet l5 composed of a plurality of separate strips I6 extending in the direction of length of the cushion above each longitudinal row of coil springs. Upon reference to Figures 2 to 4, inclusive, it will be noted that each strip i6 is folded at one longitudinal edge to provide a ap il at the underside of the strip and that the folded edge of each strip overlaps the adjacent free edge portion i8 of the next adjacent strip in such a manner as to provide three thicknesses of fabric at each longitudinal edge of the strips. As best shown in the enlarged sectional view illustrated in Figure, the strips I6 are secured together to form the covering sheet l5 by longitudinal lines of stitching i9 extending through the three thicknesses of fabric at the adjacent edges of each strip. v

The flaps l'l have a width approximating the diameter of the upper convolutions 20 of the coil springs and the convolutions 2? of the coils in each transverse row of springs l2 extend beu tween the flaps I'l of each strip I5 and the underside of this strip. The flaps il are secured to the strips lil by transverse `lines ofstitching 2l located between adjacent convolutions 2li and forming individual pockets 22 for the convolutions The pockets 22 thus formed are closed on three sides and the upper convolution of each coil spring may be readily inserted into each pocket 22 through the remaining open side of the latter. As a result, the upper ends of the coil springs are eff fectively insulated from metallic contact with each other upon deflection of the spring cushion and the objectionable noise resulting from metal 50 to metal contact is eliminated.

In the present instance, the upper convolutions 20 of the coil springs are secured in their respective pockets by means of hog rings 23. The hog rings 23 extend around the upper convolu- 5 5 tions 20 of the coil springs and are passed through the three thicknesses of material in the manner clearly shown in Figure 4. Thus, the hog rings not only secure the upper ends of the coil springs in their respective pockets 22, but also assist the stitching I9 in securing the adjacent longitudinal edges of the strips I6 together to form the cover I5. By securing the upper ends of the coil springs in the pockets 22 in the above manner, the top surface of the cushion is maintained substantially flat and a comfortable seat l results.

In Figure 5, I have shown the manner in which the upper ends of the coil springs at the marginal edges of the seat are secured in their respective pockets. As will be observed from this figure, suitable hog rings 25 are passed around the top convolutions of the coil springs in the pockets 22 and are also extended around the marginal frame ID to secure the coils to the latter. In this connection, it may be pointed out that the coils 2U are effectively insulated from metallic contact with the frame by the material 26 at the ends of the pockets and by the material 21 at the sides of the cushion. Y

From the foregoing, it will be noted that I have provided a relatively simple cushion construction wherein the upper convolutions of the coil springs are disposed in individual pockets formed by the covering for the seat. It will also be apparent that I have provided improved means' for securing the upper ends of the coil springs in their respective pockets without resorting to metallic connections between the oil springs, and that by virtue of this arrangement, objectionable noises are not only eliminated, but the top surface of the cushion is maintained substantially flat. In addition, it will be apparent that I have secured the above advantages with a construction capable of being inexpensively manufactured and readily assembled.

What I claim as my invention is:

l. In a spring cushion, a plurality of coil springs supported in spaced relation to each other, a

f covering sheet for the springs comprising a plurality of strips of fabric positioned with the longitudinal edges thereof lapping each other, each of the strips of fabric having one longitudinal edge folded over to form a flap extending along the inner side of the strip and cooperating with the inner side to receive the endconvolutions of one series of springs therebetween, means securing the folded edge of each strip to the adjacent edge of the next adjacent strip to form a continuous covering sheet, means securing the flaps of each strip to said inner side to form individual pockets for the aforesaid end coils of the springs, and means cooperating with the lapping portions of said strips for securing an end convolution of each spring in its respective pocket. y

2. In a spring cushion, a plurality of coil springs supported in spaced relationship, a covering sheetl for the springs comprising a plurality of strips of fabric positioned'with the adjacent longitudinal edges thereof in lapping relationship, one

' of the longitudinal edge portions of each strip being folded back upon the strip to form a flap cooperating with the strip to receive the end c011- volutions of one series of springs therebetween, means securing the folded edges of the strips to the adjacent edges of the next adjacent strips including lines of stitching extending through said edge portions, means securing the flaps to the strips including transverse lines of stitching ex ending between adjacent springs to form in-V dividual pockets for the end convolutions of the springs, and tie members extending through the lapping edge portions of the strips and around said end convolutions of the springs to secure the latter in their respective pockets.

3. In a spring cushion, a plurality of coil springs supported in spaced relation to each other and arranged in rows, a strip of fabric extending over one row of springs and having one edge folded back upon the strip to form a ap cooperating with the inner side of the strip to substantially receive therebetween an end convolution of each spring in s aid row, a line of stitching located between adjacent springs in said row and securing the flaps to the outer portion of the strip to form individual pockets for the end convolution of each of the springs in said row, a second rstrip extending over the next adjacent row of springs and having one edge lapping the folded edge of the first strip providing three thicknesses of material at said edge, a line of stitching extending through the three thicknesses of material to secure the adjacent edges of the strips together, and means for securing an end convolution of each coil spring in its respective pocket comprising a tie member projecting through the three thicknesses of material and extending into the pocket around the convolution of the spring.

`4. In a spring cushion, a plurality of coil springs supported in spaced relation to each other, a covering sheet for said springs comprising a plurality of strips of fabric, each strip being folded longitudinally to provide a top and bottom portion, the width of the top portion measured from the folded edge being greater than that of thc bottom portion, said top portion and the folded edge of the next adjacent strip being in overlapping relation, means for securing said strips together through the three thicknesses of fabric in overlapping relation, and means for fastening the uppermost convolution of each spring to said sheet to position said convolution between the top and bottomv portions of one of said strips adjacent to the securing means for the folded edge of said one strip.

5. In a spring cushion, a plurality of coil springs supported in spaced relation to each other, a covering sheet for said springs comprising a plurality of strips of fabric, each strip being folded longitudinally to provide a top and bottom portion, the width of the top portion measured from the folded edge being greater than that of the bottom portion, said top portion and the adjacent folded edge of the next strip being in overlapping relation, means for securing said strips together through the three thicknesses of fabric in overlapping relation, said bottom portions of said strips being secured to said top portions along lines transverse to the folded edge to form pockets closed on three sides, and means for fastening the uppermost convolution of each spring to said sheet to position said convolution in one of said pockets adjacent to the folded edge of said pocket.

6. In a spring cushion, a plurality of coil springs supported in spaced relation to each other, a covering sheet for said springs comprising a plurality of strips of fabric, each strip being folded longitudinally to provide parallel portions, the width of one of said portions measured from the folded edge being greater than that of the other portion providing a free edge, said wider portion adjacent said free edge and the adjacent folded edge of the next strip being in overlapping relation, means for securing said strips together through the three thicknesses of fabric in overlapping relation, and means for fastening an endmost convolution of each spring to said sheet to position said convolution between the parallel portions of one of said strips adjacent to the securing means for the folded edge of said one strip.

7. In a spring cushion, a plurality of coil springs supported in spaced relation to each other, a covering sheet for said springs comprising a plurality of strips of fabric, each strip being folded longitudinally to provide parallel portions, the width of one of said portions measured from the folded edge being greater than that of the other most convolution of each spring to position said l0 convolution in one of said pockets adjacent to the folded edge of said pockets.

DESIRE H. VAN HOVE. 

